Alison Hodgson

Expert on the etiquette of perilous times.

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April 29, 2008 by Alison Hodgson 1 Comment

The words verdure and verdant are constantly running through my head.

Paul and I walked Jack this morning.  There is one point where we come out of the woods and walk along the fields of a horse farm.  The sun was fresh in the sky and shining across a small pond in the distance.  All we could see was the lush green of the fields surrounded in the distance by woods.  I almost couldn’t take the beauty.
It’s that time of year where I realize that I failed to get the indoors completely ship shape and now it’s time to do yard work and gardening, not to mention the ongoing of school, cooking and laundry.  I am trying to break things down into manageable tasks, choosing to work indoors on crummy days and outdoors on sunny ones.  Saturday I hit some sort of sweet spot of energy and will and worked the entire day organizing closets and drawers.  I haven’t hit it since which is terribly disappointing.
We are also planning a couple of renovation projects and have contacted the contractor who did our kitchen three years ago.  We are trying to budget and prioritize.  One thing I am debating is cutting a door from our dining room into our mud room which also leads to our upstairs.  The idea would be letting western light into the dining room as well as creating flow, as the mud room goes into the living room.  I have only lived in houses with dead ends and would love to have a  circle.  I’ll try to post pictures.  
The main excitement is that we are adding two windows to our kitchen.  This will necessitate the removal of our largest cupboard, which has raised the question a few times, “Are you sure you want to lose all that storage?” To which I reply, “If it means I keep my mind?  Yes.”  Why a claustrophobic who gets depressed from a lack of light bought a home without a lot of windows in a valley surrounded by wooded hills is the question.  I don’t have a reason, but my answer has been to keep cutting holes and putting in windows.
I’m feeling a little dull.  I went to bed quite early last night, but then awoke at one, because the leg swipe I do to establish Paul’s presence came up empty.  Lights were on in the living room and he was playing Wii golf.  His story is that he had been working for a couple of hours and then couldn’t sleep.  He, wisely, turned off the game and we both went to bed, but I awoke again at four because the clock wasn’t face down.  I was not pleased.
I passed out again after we walked Jack, but only slept so we started school slightly behind schedule.  We still finished early – a good day.

https://alisonhodgson.com/2008/04/462/

Filed Under: housewifery, insomnia, neducation, Paul

Today

January 7, 2008 by Alison Hodgson 1 Comment

School is about to be back in session.

No P2-ty yet.

It’s foggy and wet here, but mid 50’s. Paul and I were out early this morning walking Jack and I had on a light jacket and a hat, gloves and boots weren’t necessary. I still slipped on a thick patch of ice and torked my shoulder. I felt like a chicken who had a wing pulled off. I am so thankful for Jack. If not for him, I might have missed the warmth of this day.

And now I get to go do school.

Filed Under: Jack, Monday mornings, Paul, school

December 16, 2007 by Alison Hodgson 6 Comments

For whatever reason, Eden has always had a bit of trouble with her pants; they won’t stay up. Because of this we are always seeing glimpses of her little bum, specifically her crack. I think it was Torey who coined the phrase, “coin slot” to describe Eden’s plumber bum and soon it became everyone’s habit to yell that when catching a glimpse or when grabbing the child to pull up her pants. Fortunately I found several pairs of jeans that fit and, for the most part, her days of bum flashing are over.

I wish I could say the same for the rest of the family.

This morning Paul and I walked Jack. It wasn’t as terrible as the other day, but it was still treacherous. We needed to walk very slowly and still we lost our footing, the other catching the one about to go down. Since it was Saturday the road was very quiet. And, though it was a pain to be so cautious, it still felt great to be outside. It is pleasant to start our day together, walking in the woods, beside our handsome and cheerful dog. It’s beautiful.

There is a point along the trail that is unfiinished where a boardwalk is being constructed. It’s quite a long stretch where we have to walk quite close to the road right before a curve. Too often cars comes barrelling around the bend and we have to rush into the rough trail or run ahead to where it is completed. It was a frustration and annoyance when we were walking through mud, but now that it’s covered with ice it’s a danger. To make matters worse, on the return we are walking with traffic, so we try to move as quickly as possible, while straining to hear cars coming behind us. Walking side by side, at that point, is impossible.

All along this morning Paul kept getting ahead of me. We tried to walk together wherever we could, but I kept falling back. I’m still hurting from my fall the other day and I’m sure I’m moving more slowly. When we reached the part of the trail that is unfinished Paul was probably twenty feet ahead of me. Trying to walk as fast as I felt safe, I was busy watching my step and listening for anything behind when an SUV approached. And Paul fell.

As the SUV sped past I gasped and he landed sitting, his sweatpants tugged down, exposing his bum.

“Are you OK?” I shouted.

“I’m fine.” He said, getting up quickly and beginning to walk.

He was still a good ways ahead of me and moving fast. He didn’t even bother to brush the snow off his pants.

“You feeling kinda silly falling down and flashing your crack at half the village?” I said.

“Did I?”

“Oh yeah. And that was no coin slot, my friend. I could have run a credit card down that line!”

And then we both burst out laughing. Another car passed and I don’t know what we must have looked like; a man walking his dog, with a woman in a giant parka walking a respectful ten paces behind, both of us almost crying we were laughing so hard. I love that.

I love him.

https://alisonhodgson.com/2007/12/590/

Filed Under: Jack, laughter, love, Paul, walking

“39…for the first time”

October 2, 2007 by Alison Hodgson 10 Comments

That’s what Paul’s says whenever he’s asked how old he’ll be this year.

What is he doing? You might be wondering. This, my dear friends, is a Grade A example of “Flower Face.” Often, when one of has been sweet or is feeling sheepish or shyly proud, the other one will command the one with all the feelings to, “Make a flower face.”

We don’t get out a lot.

My intention was to post of picture that showed Paul as the handsome, dignified man, he is,but (at least on Photobooth and without me) there were none to be found. People who don’t drop their cameras and people who do drop their cameras and then replace them, don’t face these sorts of challenges. Clearly I’m not those kind of people.

Happy Birthday, my wonderful nut, many, many more.

Filed Under: birthdays, Paul, photobooth

September 14, 2007 by Alison Hodgson 1 Comment

Comcast came yesterday. I just need to install the software and then call India to unlock the mysteries of our router. Sometimes it is challenging being a house divided, in a world that seems to be against the Mac. But today I was at my sister’s and needed to print something. I asked her to use her computer and then she reminded me that I own a Mac. I plugged the USB cord into the laptop and was able to print immediately. I’m on the narrow road, my friends, and I’m not turning back.

Paul is rolling his eyes. But seriously, for someone who quails at the pop ups asking, “Do you have the XXXXX installation disc?” And I know I DO have it…somewhere, the Mac is my new best friend.

Eden has been full of brilliance lately, always really, just lately I’ve been able to take notes. I will bring you up to speed.

Tomorrow is Lydia’s slumber/birthday party. She is terribly excited.

Hopefully I won’t have to relay on the kindness of Paul, technologically speaking, much longer. His whole insistence on taking his laptop to work is seriously cramping my style.

https://alisonhodgson.com/2007/09/641/

Filed Under: civil war, Paul

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